


Day 15 - Middle

by Amuah



Series: Haikyuu!! Writober 2020 [15]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Nekoma, Song Lyrics, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27578347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amuah/pseuds/Amuah
Summary: Before Lev could ask for just a few minutes more, he caught the glint in Yaku’s eye, his brown irises almost glowing with his passion for volleyball, and Lev couldn’t refuse. Instead, he grinned brightly and stood, placing a hand on Yaku’s shoulder.“You’re the boss!”
Relationships: Haiba Lev/Yaku Morisuke
Series: Haikyuu!! Writober 2020 [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994824
Comments: 3
Kudos: 63





	Day 15 - Middle

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't think of an idea for this one so it's loosely based off of 'The Middle' that one song by Zedd and some other people I think lmao
> 
> Have fun!

Lev sat down on the bleachers in the gym, wiping sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his t-shirt. He took his scheduled break from receiving practice with Yaku, watching the court as everyone else still played on. He was exhausted from weeks of the same training every day, having to go home late every night and complete his schoolwork and pass out. The routine wasn’t sustainable, but every time he looked at Yaku he couldn’t bring up his concerns, too immersed by his features.

He spent his five-minute break watching the others play, almost mad at how stamina they seemed to possess. _If only I could do that,_ he thought, _Yaku wouldn’t look at me with so much disappointment_. The idea filled him with a strange hope, the fleeting thought of being just as good as others who had played volleyball for years quickly becoming unrealistic as he slumped back.

“Come on, you giant. It’s been seven minutes already.” Lev looked up (not by much though) to see the libero staring at him intently, hands placed firmly on his hips. Before Lev could ask for just a few minutes more, he caught the glint in Yaku’s eye, his brown irises almost glowing with his passion for volleyball, and Lev couldn’t refuse. Instead, he grinned brightly and stood, placing a hand on Yaku’s shoulder.

“You’re the boss!” 

“Lev I’ve told you already! Use your forearms, not your wrists! And bend your knees! How many times do I have to tell you!” Yaku was charging towards him as Lev placed his hands on his thighs, leaning over to catch his breath. Yaku pushed him a little, the force usually nowhere near enough to tip him over but at the moment Lev couldn’t move, couldn’t catch his balance. He landed on the ground, arms shooting back to catch him before his head could hit against the floor.

Yaku looked at him in surprise and almost regret, but his face hardened as he turned away. “Get up. I know you can do more.” Lev looked at Yaku incredulously, seeing Kuroo walk up behind them. Even still, even exhausted and unable to maintain balance, he still couldn’t find the nerve to talk back to the commanding third year.

“Oh, come on Yaku, it can’t hurt to give him another break can it?” Kuroo set his hand on top of Yaku’s head, which he immediately smacked off.

“I was just taking a break fifteen minutes ago! If the rest of us aren’t getting a break, he shouldn’t either.” Yaku had turned to look at Kuroo, not seeing as Lev’s head dipped in shame. But Kuroo saw as Lev’s eyes trained onto the floor.

“He hasn’t been playing for as long as us,” he commented, the same thought Lev had caught himself with earlier. “He’s not going to have as much endurance. That comes from years of training, not months.” He patted Yaku on the back, smiling reassuringly. 

Yaku huffed and walked away, calling out to Yamamoto to spike for him. Lev saw a hand in his line of sight, looking up to see Kuroo holding his out. He grabbed at it and was pulled to his feet.

“Trouble in paradise?” he asked, and Lev sighed.

“There wasn’t a paradise to start with but… It’s been hard.” He didn’t usually confide in anyone, but he was _so tired_ of it all. Kuroo smiled broadly in that captain-like sort of way.

“You should probably talk to him after practice.” He tilted his head in the general direction of the way Yaku had jogged off to. “Do you want me to tell him to stick around for a bit?” Lev opened his mouth to say no, to smile and laugh it off, that he’d just come back tomorrow and be better. But instead, he closed his mouth and silently nodded. “Don’t let your little crush on him get in the way of your own health, alright?’ Kuroo said before walking off quickly. Lev’s jaw dropped and he began sputtering excuses and denial to Kuroo’s retreating form.

He spent the rest of practice quietly avoiding Yaku’s gaze, knowing that if he looked into his sharp eyes he would lose his train of thought. And he needed to think, to consider what he would say to the libero if Kuroo did what he said he would. 

Finally, Coach Nekomata called them over to the bleachers to talk about their practice game the following week before dismissing them. They quickly cleaned the gym and began to walk out to the club room, Kuroo giving Yaku the key before clearing everyone else out. Lev stood on the opposite side of the gym but still turned and spoke.

“Yaku, I-” he began, but his mouth dried as Yaku turned to him. He looked away. “I think we should talk for a bit.” The words were out, and the gym was silent.

“Okay, let’s talk.” Yaku strided purposefully towards him. Lev swallowed. He stopped as he was halfway across the gym.

“Well,” he couldn’t meet Yaku’s eyes as he spoke. “The training you have me do, it, I’m having trouble with it.” This was nothing new. They both knew this already and Yaku waited silently for something more. “I think we should talk about a compromise.” Yaku crossed his arms over his chest, not defensive but not yielding to the request either.

“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” The question surprised Lev, not expecting anything but a shutdown.  
“I _tried_ so many times. But every time I look at you I just–” His eyes widened, realizing he had said too much. Yaku watched in surprise, quietly, waiting for an explanation. “Lev took in a deep breath and steeled himself against the terror in the pit of his stomach. “Every time I look at you I can’t get the words out. Every time I want to say it’s too much you look at me and I fall apart.” Yaku shook his head in confusion.

“I don’t understand. Are you… Scared of what I might say?” Lev began to shake his head but paused. He wasn’t scared of Yaku in the traditional sense, rather…

“I’m scared that if I don’t do what you want that you won’t talk to me anymore,” he said in a rush, eyebrows creasing at the confession. 

“I’m doing this because I want to make you stronger,” Yaku whispered into the echoing gym, “I thought that’s what _you_ wanted, too. I didn’t know that– if you had told me– You never got mad so I always guessed that you were _okay_ with it.” The words made Lev laugh lifelessly.

“Of course it always seemed okay. I was with _you._ ” Lev still wasn’t looking at Yaku but walked towards him, meeting him in the middle of the gym. “But I can’t keep this up, Yaku. I just– I didn’t want to lose the time you gave me.” The admittance was both a weight on his heart, the confession still missing a reciprocation, but also freeing as he was no longer bound to the force of Yaku’s presence.

“Lev, look at me.” He was immediately proven wrong as just the four words all but commanded him to do as he said. Yaku was looking at him with something akin to kindness in his usually piercing brown eyes. “I get it, I think. I don’t want to lose my time with you either.” Yaku’s face flushed and Lev watched as his cheeks went pink incredulously. 

“I think we can work this out, though. We’ll compromise. I’ll… take, uh, your feelings into account.” It was Lev’s turn for his face to warm, the acknowledgment of his crush making his ears redden. “We’ll find a place in the middle to work on, alright? But you’ve got to _tell me things_ _,_ okay?” Lev nodded, and Yaku smiled up at him, Lev’s heart skipping a beat as small lips bowed into a curve.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll… I’ll work on it.” 

“And Lev?” The first year focused his attention on him. “I think… I like you, too.” Lev’s heart swelled at the words, a nervous smile appearing on his face and he relaxed, only then realizing he had been tensing. _We’ll figure it out_ , Lev thought. _We’ll find a place in the middle for both of us._ The thought gratified him and his smile widened.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Kudos and comments are always welcome :)


End file.
